Let Me Start: Damage control

The IRS Scandal: The Inspector General’s report on the IRS targeting Tea Party groups for heightened scrutiny as they applied for tax-exempt status determined that the actions of agents originated within the IRS itself. But that’s not enough for some members of Congress who want to figure out whether anyone else in the Obama administration knew what was going on. Meanwhile, Attorney General Eric Holder has announced a criminal investigation to see whether IRS officials broke any federal laws.

Holder also defended the Justice Department’s seizure of journalists’ phone records as part of a broad investigation into the leaking of classified information. Journalists are outraged at what is being called blatant intimidation on the part of the administration.